David Kot's page

Organized Play Member. 13 posts (293 including aliases). 8 reviews. No lists. No wishlists. 4 aliases.




Hello, fellow gamers and hobby enthusiasts! I need your help selecting an appropriate gaming system for my gaming group. I want to give you small bits of information to help make a more informed decision.

• My gaming group is small: 5-6 adults willing & able to attend with dice, paper, snacks, etc.
• All players are adults with significant responsibilities (three people attending college, including doctoral research/dissertation) and with commensurate imagination.
• Timetables suggest gaming at least once a month, usually for a large chunk of time (6-8 hours).
• Experience includes Pathfinder, D&D/S&W, and two newer vices: Weird West RPG & Warrior, Rogue, and Mage RPG (both with significant, group-decided house rules).
• Playing styles lean more towards narrative. Asking for some calculations can eat time, despite experience.
• Our group likes painting & using miniatures; we contributed to the Reaper Miniatures’ BONES kickstarter.
• Character creation takes the most time and is the most enjoyable part. Less desirable times come when someone needs to borrow a calculator. Most of the time, players sit with a DM and tell them how they envision a character, and the DM helps quantify. I also run a small story (individually) to exemplify combat, casting, and bluff/diplomacy/purchasing to remind players of systems.

Here’s an outline of our current Pathfinder RPG troupe:
o Half-orc alchemist 3 (loves bombing & 2H Weapons)
o Halfling rogue 4 (skill monkey, hides any other time)
o Dwarven Cleric 4 (limited channeling)
o Human Paladin 3 (TANK and dumb- literally cannot speak)
o Elven Ranger 3 (Legolas wannabe)
o Half-elf Summoner (uses the Celestial Summoner archetype presented by Rite Publishing)(MUCH less bookkeeping WITHOUT his Eidolon? Nope, but minis really help!)

After seeing how much fun the player had with his Celestial Summoner, other players also thought about the archetypes therein. Are there combinations that I should look to add or avoid? I also wondered about a ZERO level campaign, and letting characters have NPCs to rise up to heroes.

Should I make pre-generated characters? I thought about it, and even looked up optimization guides for NPCs. My gaming group is experiencing some sluggish times, and I am asking for your advice on:
• RPG system to try, or additional supplements, archetypes, etc. without breaking bank,
• Pre-generated vs. PC made heroes,
• And any other information you may want to share.

Finally, with the BONES miniatures, is there a smart way to incorporate these as fuel to spark gaming interest? After talking with players, we WANT to play, but tend to get distracted with kids, jobs, schools, etc.

Respectfully,
Szombulis


I have searched in vain, but could not find an answer:
Is there a Gamemastery Item Card depicting a firearm? I have a dwarven gunner, and I'd like him equipt. If so, in which set is the card found?
Thanks in advance.


*bump*
Some advice wanted, but I don't want to unbalance the party. Would this class tip the scales unfairly? I also know that the Messageboards have been halted over the past few days since the origional post.


The Un-carved Block & the Law of Unintended Consequences

As the morning sun burns away the lazy fog, Kagami’s citizens begin their day most unusually, yet characteristically busy. The empty smith shop echoes birds’ chirps, but not resounding hammer blows. The fish cart sits empty, but normally crests full of smelly wares before baking in the midday heat. Yagushi the Young cannot be found peddling his foreign trinkets or calling out to the beautiful women. Amid this scenic change, our heroes enter the local farming community with distress. No trade will occur this morning, and most exchanges have dropped with the recent drought. Few visitors have wandered this far since once-important shrines have chosen not to compete for their faithful.

Today, our heroes walk through the village. Each has arrived at their own time, seeking greater wisdom and hopes for understanding. Their survival is linked to this small. The Enno tea house has seemingly become a focal point of many villagers this morning. The dirt path leading down to the small eatery has been beaten to dust with activity. As our heroes explore the tea house, they eventually discover an uncommon scene.

Four men dressed in yellow robes and red sashes stand close together. One man stands atop a small table and appears to address the crowd. His eyes fill with intensity and fire that could almost match the brilliant silk clothes he wears. His fanciful, embroidered sleeves flutter like the dragonflies stitched on his clothes as the man moves his arms while talking. His similarly dressed companions stand close together. Upon further inspection, our heroes can discern ornate scabbards resting comfortably within the recessed folds of the yamabushis’ robes. All four men sport wild, thin black hair, including unkempt beards and a couple matted foreheads.

Finally, the heroes can heard the speech given by the supposed leader of this group:
“…and after twelve nights, we tracked the foul oni along the river way. They lived in a small cave less than five miles from this very place! My brothers and I fought them with cold steel and colder resolve. Good people, you must know that this – thing – know lies dead.” At his words, three of the bearded warriors step apart and reveal a large woven sack. Their outspoken leader jumps from the table top and quickly opens the bag and reveals a most disgusting figure! A small man lies crumpled and falls to the teahouse floor with a soft noise. The color of his skin shocks some of the women and draws some of the children. A bright crimson hue adorns the flesh of this small man. His eyes are somewhat larger than one might expect, and his hair looks even worse (if possible) than the yamabushi wear! Long dirty fingernails jut from the red man’s elongated fingers. Some pox or curse surely befell this poor creature, because his bare chest and shoulders seem to be covered in scales or an extremely dry skin disease. Most shocking is his lack of modesty- the man wears no clothing or loincloth. Yet, somehow this man appears less than what he seems, while being something more than what is examined.

As the audible gasps fade, the loud warrior continues his lecture. “Good people, my brothers and I must return to our daimyo in three days and await his orders. He will surely be displeased to learn of this ugly creature walking in your midst. I charge you with protecting this village. Take up arms and fight these wicked imps. Do not be fooled by their appearance boy,” he says while addressing a young man who thought it fun to poke the red man with a stick when nobody was watching. “This is an oni-aka, a red goblin! I tore off its horns from its head as it bit at my very soul!” For dramatic effect, the yamabushi discards two fist-sized horns matching the reddish coloration of the reddish creature. These horns land and bounce on the floor near the heroes.

“Will you protect the village in our stead? We are merely dutiful pilgrims sent on task to examine to cause and extent of drought. We are not free to remain here. Who will drink from the cup of honor and stand tall?” The crowd looks around as if trying to answer this non-rhetorical question.

The heroes need not know one another in advance. This opening was designed to include few pre-existing ties. Feel free to evaluate this situation and respond this weekend…


Game Expectations and Overview

This play-by-post game will begin in August 2009, and run indefinitely. Posting rates should occur about once daily (at least). Failure to post longer than about one week may result in character forfeiture, unless prior arrangements can be made (i.e., attending a wedding or funeral out of town, illness, etc.). Players should create Japanese-like characters using the White Box edition of the “Ruins & Ronin” game. “White Box” terminology refers to classic 0D&D that had limited resources or supplemental materials; this game seeks to recapture the interactive freedom and story-telling that fewer rules may permit. Players may want to have their own dice to use, but will only need six-sided and (a) twenty-sided dice. Again, this gaming system attempts to do more with less. Alternatively, players may want to record their dice rolls using an online dice calculator, like Invisible Castle or many others; the storyteller assumes players want an honorable gaming experience, so dice rolls can simply be posted without links to outside sources- I will trust players until they prove untrustworthy.

For more information about traditional or “original” style gaming, please read the free “Quick Primer for Old School Gaming” by Matt Finch, available here:
Quick Primer for Old School Gaming

All players should have a copy of the White Box “Ruins & Ronin” campaign expansion for the White Box “Swords & Wizardry” role-playing game. BOTH FREE .pdf files are available online:
Ruins & Ronin Supplement, White Box Edition
and
Swords & Wizardry White Box Edition
Additionally, other character classes and races are possible by visiting author Mike Davison’s website, here:
Sword +1 Website

Finally, know that the basic “sandbox” world includes a low-magic setting. While Sohei and Shugenja (traditional clerics/monks and magic-users, respectively) may become powerful, most NPCs and monsters will not have access to (many) powerful magic items. Note- this restricts the Hengeyokai race; I will allow only one player character to be a member of this magical race. Please temper expectations accordingly.


Welcome to Kagami, a gentle farming and fishing village. Kagami also provides would-be heroes a backdrop setting for playing “Ruins & Ronin,” a Japanese-like Swords & Wizardry role-playing game. At this time, the narrator seeks players’ interest in making characters for a play-by-post game. Here are some additional ideas to help make informative decisions:
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This play-by-post uses the core rules set forth in the “Ruins & Ronin” 2009 release, either print or .pdf version, available at Ruins & Ronin (sword +1) Blogsite . Note, the 80-page .pdf costs $1 USD. Alternatively, there are *FREE* rules at this same web blog site, too.

Use any of the four core character classes: bujin, shugenja, sohei, and half-ogre. Additional inquiries about other classes and races are welcomed with intelligent rationale.

Ascending Armor Class [AAC] will be used to determine defenses.

Use new names for coinage. For example, page 18 equates “Gold” with “Ryo.”

Starting Hit Points are maximized- no need to roll.

Report other starting numbers honorably, including money and ability scores. Roll ability scores and assign results in player’s favor to create a character class/race wanted.

Alignments are restricted to Law and Good for the moment. Three deities prominent in Kagami citizens’ lives, including small shrines located in the village, include:
Amatsumara (male, patron of smiths), Kannon (female, patron of mercy), and Takitsu-hime (female, patron of rainfall). Other possible deities are welcomed for discussion.

Unless otherwise noted, players failing to post longer than one week’s time will have assumed to abandon their characters. Characters can be played as NPCs or left to some other fate fitting to the narrator.
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The adventure story introduction places the small village in duress. Several small streams feeding the town have dried-up unexpectedly, making farming more difficult and even threatens the summer harvest. A neighboring daiymo raised taxes and political pressure builds for your young lord to do likewise. Recently, more migrant farmers arrived to escape the heavy taxation. Other residents followed, including a quiet family of half-ogres. Lastly, the Kannon shrine in the northern way has been silent for weeks. No divinations or pilgrimages have happened since the last full moon. A single teahouse rests against the largest brook in the village, and Enno Cherry Blossom welcomes many visitors. Rumors persist that many yamabushi frequent the teahouse, but none can confirm reports of wild-looking, unshaven monks attending to this village.
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I hope for at least three people expressing interest in the game by Friday of next week (July 24 '09), with characters made within a week of expressed interest. Therefore, the game should be underway by August, hopefully. Thanks for your interest!


Hmmm...a day later yet no responses. Would it help to change the rules to the FREE .pdf White Box edition rules of Ruins & Ronin (also available the the "sword +1" website)? Feedback is welcomed...


Dear Paizo Community,

Since January, I have struggled finding a good job for family and myself. The American economy seemed mired in stagnation (at best). At times, I found myself quite depressed and questioned my professional skills and abilities as the primary provider for my wife and young daughters. At my height of unemployment, I submitted over 200 resumes and applications either online, through mail, or in person. I waited, evaluated, and re-evaluated.

During this time, I rediscovered my gaming hobby. I have made several contributions to games like Mythweaver, Swords and Wizardry (White Box), and Barbarians of Lemuria. I am rather proud to have a regular column writing for Mythweaver, and for having Simon Washbourne acknowledge some editing/suggestions for the recent revision of Barbarians of Lemuria in the “Special Thanks to…” title page. I have recently begun blogging about RPGs, and my wife will begin her solo adventure this weekend!

What does this have to do with Paizo.com, and gamers in general? Please let me explain. My new job capitalizes on my experience with children’s mental health services and my graduate degree in human services. Tomorrow, I begin work as a clinical behavioral therapist. My specialties include sexual assault and self-injurious behavior cases. For some unknown reason, I have good skills in these areas to help others without really damaging my own psyche in the process.

When times get dark, though, as sometimes happens with a large caseload, I imagine I will have a “bad day.” While my wife and family and friends will be there to support me, I enjoy another outlet, too: gaming. There is something refreshing and rewarding about swinging an imaginary sword at the big bad evil guy. Maybe this outlet is my mind’s way of cleansing itself from the garbage of kids’ traumatic life experiences. Maybe it’s my way of managing stress. Maybe I just like making munchkin characters and finding loop holes in the rules. For whatever reasons, I enjoy role-playing. At Paizo, I have found a supportive community of respectful people who seem as excited about each other’s lives as they are about the next new product or play-by-post game.

Thank you, Paizo community. Game on…and remember: when the light dims at the end of the tunnel, hire another torch-bearer. :)


This thread is designed for out-of-game information and discussion about the Barbarians of Lemuria play-by-post game.


***This thread was originally started in the Gamer Connection thread, but resumes here.***

Darkness falls amid the meager campfires, campfires that use very precious timber. The logging camp of Feathered Falls feels the presence of darkness like another visitor and witness to its miserable state. For three weeks, no successful ventures have brought forth more than a few cords of Urld wood, a rich black bark sought by sages and alchemists. Newly hired hands have vanished like the loggers whom they replaced. A few stronger or stubborn men have returned to camp- lacking their axes, any wood, and perhaps their minds. While the small camp can provide for its workforce indefinitely, the spirit of its people might dwindle faster than any sundry supplies.

Heavy rains pour down your necks. This close to the timberline, the cold water aches the your muscles and chills bone. However, the logging foreman asked that people gather near his tent for some news. August Steadfellow, a fellow logger, returned this morning and straightway visited his foreman. His story seemed too impossible to tell second-hand, so “Cat-Face,” your de facto leader, asked August to tell it to you himself.

“They walked,” starts August, a young lad of no more than eighteen years, and assumes that his captive audience knows who ‘they’ are. Your question is quickly answered: “Bones picked themselves up out of the ground and walked! There were too many of them. Aarrrgh! They probably followed me here. We’re doomed. We’ll never leave this camp alive, and we’ll be like th…them.” The young man appears visibly shaken, and his stammering stems more from fear than any cooler temperatures. As his speaks, he withdraws into himself, shielding his eyes with his elbows as if horrifically reliving the experience. Even the fires around the camp seem affected by his speech- the smoke swirls around August in weird patterns and seems to make odd shapes. August finally collapses to the ground, and Cat-Face places a blanket around the man.

“Well, that settles it. Camp Feathered Falls closes tomorrow. Everyone will go home. We can’t get the wood we need to fund this mission, so we have to return to wherever we call home,” says Cat-Face. The rugged and short foreman appears un-shaken by the story, but rather matter-of-fact in his business bravado.

You are left standing in the growing darkness, being cold, wet, and possibly unemployed.

What does anyone want to do?


I am very excited about the indie RPG, "Barbarians of Lemuria." While Paizo does not yet sell this product, I purchased it from RPGNow.com a few months ago for $10. I have fallen in love with this game, and want to re-experience the game online through play-by-posts.

I'd like to use the 2nd Edition rules, although 1st edition rules are available for free on the web. I'd like to run a small game, maybe with 3-4 players. Think "Conan" and the game genre should gel quickly and is very easy to use. Let's look to see what kind of responses we have by Tuesday/Wednesday of next week...and then we can plan characters based on suggestions, team play, etc.

Dark Archive

I've noticed that this inexpensive ($10.00) core rule book has sat perched high atop RPGNow.com's best selling indie games for months. I purchased my .pdf copy there early this year, and have LOVED the game. The character generation system is intuitive and focuses strongly on players' abilities to interact with their "Sword & Sorcery" world. Has anyone else tried the game, or be willing to comment? I would like to try a play-by-post if others are interested...I feel THAT comfortable adjudicating the rules after only a few months!

Thanks in advance!


My group likes using various minitaures in our gaming experience. For a monthly recap, I include a text version of what happened in game-play to help jog memories, and a photo of a big battle or the BBEG mini. The group enjoys this 2-3 page recap every month (we game monthly for several hours)

I am not pleased with my Cannon camera's ability to show close-up detail despite settings I change. Any recommendations for cameras that would take mini-shots with good detail without breaking the bank?

I also have included side-stories in the recap. These few paragraphs hint at things to come, or comment on a shop-keep's recent foreclosure in the town after goblins raid, etc. I'd kind of like to do a small comic (maybe 3 or 4 frames) and include minis as the subject. Outside of Adobe photoshop (and even if so, which version?) might be a good imaging software package to try this idea? Think, "Toyfare" magazine comics, perhaps slightly less funny.

Thanks in advance!


With the line drawn in the sand between PRPG & 4e, is there room left for smaller, independent gaming commpanies to survive? I think that there a lot of opportunities for smaller companies to give faster feedback to a smaller portion of the gaming community. While Paizo messageboards are shaping the design of its newest RPG incarnation, WotC seems apathetic to gamers' concerns. Marketing is the key, here, and WotC admits their products are aimed at a younger generation to the exclusion of the veterans. Outside of Paizo, does anyone know of other gaming companies or games that provide great interaction to their customers/players?
While it is a small company, Teddy Bear Press' "Mythweaver: the Splintered Realm" seems to be active with its newest on-line magazine supoort for its newest game edition. Anything else?


So, the wife (playing the elven evoker) came to me today and asked about her character. While she liked being able to blow-up stuff from the surface, she is now wondering what will happen underwater. Specifically, what happens to things like fireball, etc. I explained to her some of the rules, and reminded her about Wolfgang's Sinister article about underwater adventuring. Specifically, she wondered if she was locked into the specialist abilities listed on her sheet. I asked why she wondered. She wants to be more of a water evocation specialist, with a lot of damage coming from water and steam and ice, etc. This wasn't a problem. I only wanted to log this concern a player had about the gameplay, and being locked-into a certain set of wizard abilities. I think others have shared this question. My big question is this- what would you suggest for these alternative options?


On Sunday, our gaming group came together for play. The fun task at hand was two-fold. First, try the material purchased through Nicholas Logue’s new “Sinister Game” company. As the DM, I bought the first wave of Indulgences, and specifically wanted to see players’ takes on Greg A. Vaughan’s “Blood Waters” adventure and Craig Shackleton’s “Art of the Duel.” Secondly, I wanted players to create characters knowing a bit about the “Blood Waters” scenario, and using the new Pathfinder (Alpha 1.1) RPG. The following briefly summarizes our exploits.

Our party currently consists of 4 characters, all level 7, including:
1. Halfling Rogue, using the “Art of the Duel” to great effect as an effective combatant;
2. Human Rogue, trying his hand as a skills-monkey and thief;
3. Elven Evoker, who showed the new value in specialization and frustration with the Arcane Bond class feature; and
4. Dwarven Cleric, “rounding” out the group and taking full advantage of the “Turning” feats (Turn Elemental and Extra Turning) and racial hit point variant. Can YOU imagine a dwarf with a trident?

Players received the new skills rules the best, especially since they rolled 7th level characters. Everyone moaned about skills until they allotted them using Alpha 1.1 rules. This style should be kept, especially considering the intricate math we just easily sidestepped. The flavor remains, with no gritty aftertaste!

Regarding Feats, the Turning feats were quickly noed and grabbed by the cleric after reading that the adventure is largely water based (comes off easily with less scrubbing) and that he could use it to heal! The first rogue liked the "Art of the Duel" feats, while the second rogue leaned more towards the skills-based feats and roguish talents for a scout-like treasure hunter character. The wizard wanted more familiar based feats, like from the PH2. Endurance was a feat selected and talked about a lot, especially considering the adventure set-up. Toughness feat looks interesting and a bit tougher...the wizard considered it when she rolled low a few levels.

...More to come...


Is anyone else planning on running Nicolas Logue's new "Sinister Adventures: Blood Waters" under the new Alpha Rules? I'd like to try it this weekend, but would greatly appreciate advice about what kind of character classes/races might do very well. I want to (1) playtest the Alpha edition, (2) "dive" into the adventure as much as-is written, and (3) entertain a party of four players familiar with the genre and twists of mad...err..genius of Nicolas Logue.

Thanks in advance!


I consider myself a strong supporter of the local and internet gaming community. In addition to D&D (1st & 3.5 editions), I also enjoy other RPGs, most recently Call of Cthulu and OG: Unearthed Edition. I want to support D&D...but...

Now, I find myself confused by what WotC is doing to my game. Yeah- it's mine; for all of the blood (stupid papercuts), sweat and spilled Coca-cola lost on the gaming table, there is a Lockean application of ownership to Dungeons and Dragons. Easpecially as a DM, I want to know what is happening! I don't have the time to read the (too?) many threads about all of the rules changes, what so-and-so designed said about the game on podcast xyz, etc. I hope to get the general (and sometimes specific, albeit limited) low-down on what my game will become in a short few months. First, let me take a stab at it (rolls...d20+2):
**********----------
There will be 3 core books, like always. I will have to $ub$cribe to an online service to get updates that weren't origionally published, but which may be released as a supplimental book later, too.

Some classes, like the druid and sorcerer, lay dormant in an as-of-yet undisclosed rules suppliment. Add the warlock as a "base" class. Add a leader class, too, that seems to take away the "role" playing opportunitites and make D&D classes very Marxist- know your role!

Races matter, maybe more than classes. As a character advances, new things about how well they could do stuff becomes known to them, making races like a profession. The gnome bites it (for now), but we get dragon-born and tieflings out of the gate in 4E.

If I play WoW, I will like D&D4, because it's been pigeon-holed into this line of thinking, with regards to class roles, and some magic stuff. I don't even know where to begin asking magical questions. I'm guessing most elves are likely to be wizards, etc. Do wizards have spell-books, or PDAs? :)

Somehow, the whole game can be played using a computer now, instead of (just) paper and pencil. Losing Dungeon and Dragon magazines to online subsriptions paved the way for this several months ago. I could have a cool digital miniature for my character though, but I don't know how I'd get it (buy the PHB?).

So, when I cross-reference my Forgotten Realms paperback books into D&D4, is Cyric really:
a) a thief
b) a guy who becomes vaulted into godhood
c) a feared yet crazy diety of at least a couple of titles, or
d) Cyric? He doesn't exist in this 4.0 version of D&D reality...yet...he'll be available in edition 4.1.9.2

WotC seems to be proving 1) less than stellar customer service for all of the questions 2) a game aimed at young adults and/or computer saavy computer users 3) if it ain't broke, fix it, as evienced by a 5 year time table release for D&D5.

I am sorry if I seem cynical. There appears to be way too many changes for this new edition to seem like the game my group knows. I welcome any helpful feedback about these changes.

Dark Archive

Looking to get an inexpensive and pre-painted (time and skill is an issue) for a player's character in my group. She plays a female elven ranger. The D&D miniature Steelheart Archer looks very much like what she has designed. Question- is the mini a female, or male? I cannot make out detail online. Any help?

Dark Archive

Anyone have success with the initial adventure, Idylls of the Rat King?

Dark Archive

Quick question:
Playing a nostalgic AD&D 1st Edition game, but I'm still new as a GM. Adding selected pieces from Unearther Arcana, specifically, weapon specialization, begs this question:
1. How many weapon proficiency slots does a half-orc cleric/assassin have (cleric=2; assassin=3)? Do I add them both together (5), or take the best of both (like saving throws). Were this a multiclass fighter/something, could he take multiple weapon specializations at 1st level?

Thanks in advance!